Research & Evaluation
This section presents research and evaluation of arts and health practice and related fields.
Found: 119 posts
Social prescribing outcomes: a mapping review of the evidence from 13 countries to identify key common outcomes
As a means for supporting a range of health and wellbeing goals, social prescribing programmes have been implemented around the world. This mapping review explores the broad array of social prescribing outcomes that have been studied in 13 countries and maps the outcomes that have been most commonly studied.
31 May, 2025
Arts-based interventions for maternal well-being: a systematic review
This systematic review examines published studies that explore the relationship between arts-based activity and maternal health and/or wellbeing. The review aims to provide a comprehensive picture of the ways in which arts-based practices were being used; some of the outcomes identified; and the way in which outcomes were being measured, evaluated and documented.
5 April, 2025
A Multimethod International Mapping Exercise of Arts Interventions in Renal Units: The PAINT Project
The aim of the PAINT project was to undertake an international mapping exercise to identify the current provision of arts programmes in kidney centres for people living with kidney disease. The arts activities being offered globally and experiences of renal healthcare staff who provide activities in their units are encouraging in terms of arts in healthcare.
31 January, 2025
Arts Engagement as a Health Behavior: An Opportunity to Address Mental Health Inequities
This U.S. study uses an applied social ecological model of health, showing how arts engagement can support mental health and reduce mental health inequities at the individual, interpersonal, community, policy, and cultural levels.
9 January, 2025
The impact of social prescribing on health service use and costs: Examples of local evaluations in practice
This report from the National Academy for Social Prescribing in the UK summarises the analysis of social prescribing evaluation data from nine local health systems across England. The findings indicate that social prescribing can substantially reduce pressure on the NHS, including through reduced GP appointments, reduced hospital admissions and reduced A&E visits.
9 January, 2025
Sites of Significance
Sites of Significance is a research report exploring pathways to engagement and work in dance experienced by dance artists and facilitators who live and / or work within territorial border areas of Cavan and Fermanagh-Omagh Council areas. One of the report recommendations is for greater recognition and resourcing by local authorities of local dance facilitators for their contribution to social and health-based outcomes.
20 October, 2024
What does an arts & health organisation do?
There is currently a great deal of momentum in arts and health practice, research and advocacy around the world. To understand what is driving this momentum and how arts and health organisations and practitioners are operating in creating and/or benefitting from that momentum, this report gathers insights from people working in some of the world’s most innovative arts and health organisations. One of the organisations featured is Réalta, Ireland's national resource organisation for arts and health.
13 October, 2024
Understanding the Potential of Clinical-Creative Partnerships to Improve Dementia Care
This synthesis report explores the potential of clinical-creative partnerships to enhance dementia care. Spearheaded by Gráinne Hope, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health at GBHI and Director of Music & Health Ireland, the report is informed by a series of cross-disciplinary roundtable discussions. The report identifies key opportunities and makes a set of recommendations to bridge gaps in dementia care across sectors.
31 August, 2024
Art and the Healing Environment
Curator Vivienne Reiss was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to visit Denmark, Sweden and Japan and explore how healthcare buildings in these countries enhance health and wellbeing, and the contribution of art to the healing environment. Her findings illustrate the multi-faceted role of art and include 13 case studies in general, paediatric and psychiatric hospitals.
9 July, 2024
Arts and Health Evaluation: Navigating the Landscape
This guide is designed to support anyone working in arts and health to navigate the landscape of evaluation. Published by the Social Biobehavioural Research Group at UCL, a WHO Collaborating Centre for Arts and Health, it includes a comprehensive mapping of what arts and health evaluation frameworks and toolkits exist, supporting you to make choices regarding which resources are the most suitable for your evaluation.
2 March, 2024
Orchestras in Healthcare 2023
Orchestras in Healthcare #2 explores the contribution that orchestras (including those integrated in opera companies) currently make in the public health sector in the UK. This report presents findings from the second UK-wide Orchestras in Healthcare survey (the first survey was undertaken in 2020).
6 February, 2024
Creative Health Review: How Policy Can Embrace Creative Health
The Creative Health Review led by The National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH) and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing (APPG AHW) in the UK highlights the potential for creative health to help tackle pressing issues in health and social care and more widely, including health inequalities and the additional challenges we face as we recover from Covid-19.
2 January, 2024
